Marking Gauge with scribing pin - do they work?

[Matthew N. Masail]

I assume since it's a long standing traditional tool, that it works well. if not than it must be a user issue. after reading Paul Sellers blog post about how a pin gauge is perfect for everything and every wood I decided to make one and see for myself, before I go ahead and get all those cheap Japanese gauges, (I need to get something ASAP).


I made the gauge, super simple, and made the pin from the same 3mm drill bit I used to drill the hole in the arm. Result?... ehh. it kinda works, depending on the wood and grain. I played with various angles and approaches, nope, it's not my, the pin just doesn't cut all that well. I then tried various sharpening angles for the pin, and compared them to my scribers. seems like I've got a good pin....


So bottom line - not a great tool! but as par my introduction, I assume I'm doing something wrong.


(I sharpened the pin with a disk sander and the pin chucked in a cordless drill, both spinning gives a nice sharp symmetrical pin. I did try to refine it with small DMT and soft arkensas in the drill press but it seemed best to leave it off the disk sander)

[ken hatch]

Pin gauges have their use as do cutting gauges. While some will differ, surprise, surprise, I find pin gauges work better than cutting gauges for marking end grain and with the grain, cutting gauges are better for cross grain. For best results both take a light hand. I would not want to be limited to just one or the other.

ken

[Jim Koepke]

Matthew,

You may be making the same mistake with a pin gauge as I used to make. The pins should be flat on one side, not conical.

Here is a recent discussion on gauges:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...Something-Else

Derek Cohen has a web site with at least one post on pin guages:

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMad...ingGauges.html

The gist of the pin sharpening is in this post of his:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...12#post2320612

The principle is the flat side faces away from the fence. The rounded side will tend to create a force pulling the fence into the work being marked.

To continue on what Ken mentioned, it is good to have more than one and more than one type.

jtk

[Darren Brewster]

I think the real trick is to put the vast majority of the force towards the fence, and very, very little pushing down. I have a couple of nice Stanley No. 65 pin gauges and they are great, though I still love a nice wheel marking gauge too, which I have always found to work well with and across the grain.

[Matthew N. Masail]

Thanks guys, I' experimented with the pin today, it's better but I still need to work on it. I think I might prefer a single bevel angled knife edge like the japanese gauges, also for ease of sharpening..

[David Weaver]

It's a matter of use. I haven't used much other than pin gauges up to this point, with the exception being sometimes use of a wheel gauge (but not much). If I'm sawing to a line, I'd rather have a pin gauge (like on a panel gauge), because the mark it leaves is much easier to see.

The rest of the stuff, I guess I don't have too much of a preference. I do recall it taking a little while to get quick and accurate with a pin mortise gauge (I have two) and what effect the pin shape has on how you use them (the taller the pin, the more it helps to tilt the gauge and drag it).

[John Coloccia]

Partly it might be expectation. All it needs to do is make a light scratch that you can see. I think we're a little spoiled because there are so many great marking gauges available today. The lowly pin is a little primitive compared to even a flattened pin. Flattened pins work so much better and is easier to set the exact width of a chisel, for example. Personally I prefer wheel gauges or a straight pin. I don't get on well with the cutting gauge for some reason.